1 Peter 5

Monday, November 13, 2017 | Pastor Kevin

God has provided a valuable leadership team for His churches. Peter addresses the "elders" of the churches of the diaspora (dispersion). He reminds them of their responsibility to administrate the local church as a good steward of the King. This is a hard text for some, because they fear power-hungry, unloving, immature men who lead in the flesh and destroy the unity of the local body. While that can and does happen, the real lesson Peter is teaching is that we choose elders based upon specific criteria that we find in Scripture. To choose someone because he is faithful to worship or because he is successful in business is to make a huge mistake if they do not meet the other qualifications God has given us in Word. Peter reminds us that the chief attribute of a true elder is humility. When an elder puts the needs of the congregation before his own wants and desires then God is set free to do His perfect work in us. As you think about your local body of believers, can you identify the true elders in your congregation? God has not left us barren. They are there doing the work of an elder whether they have a title or not. It is vital that we find those men and empower them to lead our churches for God's glory. Once again, I want to reiterate that I am a congregationalist, but I know without trust and community with our elders, we will never move forward in the manner that God has called us to.

Help me, Lord, to seek those men who You have called as elders at my church. Help me to leave behind my old fears about elders and listen to Your truth allowing them to administrate the church as stewards of God's people.